Study: Beware the ‘Bounce House’

by Nate Wooley | November 26, 2012 12:09 pm

Study: Beware the ‘Bounce House’

Injuries to children in inflatable “bounce houses” are up 1,500% since 1995, a new study reveals.

In 1995, there were 702 reported injuries from bounce houses — also sometimes called “inflatables,” “moonwalks” or “jump castles.” Since then, the number has increased to 11,311 in 2010, according to ReutersHealth[1].

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, looked at the number of children being brought to emergency rooms in the United States for injuries from the devices. The most common injuries reported are sprains and broken bones. Following those are conncussions, scrapes and cuts.

Researchers suggest that, to avoid injury, parents limit playtime on inflatables to only those children age 6 or older, and also limit the number of children inside at any one time. More than one-third of the injuries reported were to children 5 years of age or younger. Another 50% were ages 6 to 12.

Trampolines still are a larger threat, however. While the injury rate for inflatables is 5 per 100,000 children, the rate for trampolines is 31 per 100,000 children.

The study can be viewed in PDF format here.[2]

More stories about health issues:

Joblessness May Raise Heart Attack Risk[3]

EU Health Warning: Routine Infections Could Turn Fatal[4]

Health Care Law Prompts Shift to Part-Time Workers[5]

Endnotes:

according to ReutersHealth: http://www.healthnews.com/en/news/Bounce-house-related-injuries-on-the-rise-in-US/0fKJSlqcD8DfmKp2UoMiWx/

The study can be viewed in PDF format here.: http://www.healthnews.com/en/news/Bounce-house-related-injuries-on-the-rise-in-US/0fKJSlqcD8DfmKp2UoMiWx/